by Anirban Sinha Roy: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will be looking for two crucial points in their final league match of IPL 2023 at their home ground on Saturday, May 20. KKR are not getting enough home advantage in ILP 2023 at Eden Gardens.
Addressing Rana’s comment, Chandrakant Pandit clarified that the captain’s statement was misinterpreted, adding that with the evolution of T20 cricket it is difficult to get guarantees from pitches these days.
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Kolkata Knight Riders have won just 2 out of 6 matches they have played at the Eden Gardens, which used to be their forte in the past.
“When I talk about home advantage, I mean winning games. Unfortunately, we haven’t been able to take advantage of matches played at home so far. Pitches across India have changed significantly over time If you look at Wankhede or any other ground, the pitches have evolved. There is no guarantee of pitches nowadays,” Chandrakant said.
KKR have 12 points from 13 matches, their chances of qualifying for the playoffs are slim. Knight Riders need a big win against Lucknow Super Giants on Saturday and will hope that RCB and Mumbai Indians lose their last league games on Sunday to reach the playoffs.
“Every team aims for the playoffs, and we are no exception. We must not lose this match. We are striving for victories to avoid slipping further down the table. Our focus is on game planning and process. There is, and we will address accordingly,” Chandrakant said.
Happy with KKR’s season?
As the season draws to a close, when asked about KKR’s performance so far, the head coach, who oversaw the team in his first stint in the IPL, urged a wider perspective,
“Consider the entire tournament. There is still one game left, and no team has yet secured a playoff spot. The competition is stiff. While we could have done better, we have made good use of our potential. There are positive aspects to it.” Still, we remain hopeful of making the playoffs.”
KKR fans have seen the prowess of Shardul Thakur as a bowler so far this season. However, when asked about Thakur’s track record, Pandit replied,
“You might think so, but whenever he has been given an opportunity, he has performed brilliantly, be it with his bowling or batting skills. In the last two years in the IPL, he has proved himself within the team. The roles are being played. There is determination, and everyone is aware of their responsibilities.”